Open behind the mask
by Karte
Summary: There are Tree Friends, who want stop Splendid to "safe" people. But a spontaneous plan is going to fail. What will happen? Contains homosexual themes, but nothing...you know.
1. The plan

Hello dear writers and readers,

I´m new and this is my first story.

My english isn´t very well, so if you find any mistakes, or even if you know better formulations, please tell me.

I will correct them immediately.

Besides, any kind of reviews are welcome.

This story is dedicated to all the yaoi-fan-girls ;-)

I hope you enjoy.

* * *

It was a cloudy, cold autumn day in Happy Tree Town. Outside on the streets and playgrounds, none of the Tree-Friends was seen. Everyone spent the day with himself or in his friends home. So also in Flippys house, where an illustrious circle of men had taken to playing poker in cigar smoke, while had met a girl round in the next room, which talked about gossip.  
You could actually call a party, which approached in the house of the war vet at the so gloomy autumn day.  
The poker game consisted of Flippy, Lumpy, Cuddles and the raccoon twins and each had a big cigar in his mouth, while he peered at his cards.

"I'm out.", Flippy said, laying his cards on the table.

"Me too.", Cuddles said afterwards.

"I raise with 10", Shifty said challenging and giggled with his diabolical grin.

Lifty put his cards on the table and muttered unintelligible.

Lumpy's eyes remained motionless fixed on his cards.

"... Lumpy. It's your turn.", Flippy remembered the big moose.

The blue animal dramatically way the fingers, with an enlightening facial expression and ... remained silent.  
"... Uh ... no.", and made a disappointed face.

At the table they collectively sighed and were getting impatient.

"Get out or go with, you moron.", blurted out Shifty grouching.

Lumpy looked at him with wide eyes, as if he had not understood his words.

"But ... we don´t go yet.", Lumpy said as he looked around the room.

Everyone groaned at the table and/or face-palmed, about the stupidity of the village idiot.

"Please Lumpy ... just play on.", Cuddles admonished him exhausted.

The moose seemed not to understand the excitement, shrugged and lay down his cards.

"Oh Hehehehe.", Shifty giggled and cash the pot. "I´m winning again.", boasted the Fedora wearing raccoon.

"Say Flippy ...", Cuddles said the arms crossed, "Sure, that they aren´t cheating?", and scowled at the kleptomaniac twins, who also glanced at him darkly.

Flippy puffed casually from his cigar.

"Not when I'm here. They're afraid of me. "

"Oh ... I see ..." Cuddles loosened his arms understanding, but then threw back a dark look at the two.  
"But why are they even here?"

Lifty answered the question instead:  
"Because you are crappy players.", did his cheeky snicker and give his brother a high-five.

Cuddles glance was then more sinister until Flippy intervened again.

"They´re good players and there wasn´t much selection. A round of threes just doesn´t make fun."

"Yeah ...", Shifty said, serious this time, "Besides, there´re worse as Flippy in this cursed village."

Cuddles laughed, again apparently in a good mood.  
"That's right. As our village idiot. "

"Huh? Who is the village idiot? ", asked Lumpy into it.

"YOU!", everyone said in unison and Lumpy began for some reason to laugh loudly, while the others looked at him oddly.

"But the worst of all is Splendid.", Lifty interjected and his brother nodded.

"Is he really that bad?", asked Flippy.

"Oh, you haven´t met him, right?", asked Cuddles and Flippy said no.

"Yeah, he's that bad. He regularly destroyed the whole village, with his rescue attempts.", Cuddles replied to the original question and Flippy again drew on his cigar thoughtfully.

"Then he should just stop it.", Flippy finally said.

"Ha, it would be nice.", Shifty and Lifty said synchronously.

"He won´t stop. He has his fans and obviously too much time.", grumbled Cuddles and began to mix the cards.

"He needs a girlfriend.", Lumpy said in the round.

Everyone froze and looked at the blue moose with big eyes, which, however, only further smoked his cigar and saved the explanation apparently.

"Hey ... that's not that stupid.", Cuddles said suddenly, everyone looked at him now instead of Lumpy.

"Think about it. Who has a girlfriend, has to be around her all the time. Her chatter listen, go romantic with her and don´t forget the jealousy ... With a girlfriend he would decide between her and his heroic life. "

Flippy, Shifty and Lifty placed a paw to the chin and thought about Cuddles words.

Lumpy seemed meanwhile to devote all his attention to the chip bowl.

"Well ... how should we do it?" Flippy finally asked.

"We just fake a rescue ac-"  
"No.", interrupted Lifty, Cuddles.

"It´s Splendid. No matter what, how, and where we make it, he screwed it up and kill us all."

"Any kind of better suggestion?", asked Cuddles annoyed.

"Hmm ..." mused Shifty, "If Splendid doesn´t come to the girls, the girls have just come to Splendid ..."

Cuddles grimaced. "And how should we do that?"

"I know one way.", Flippy spoke up.  
"One of my old comrades did send me a letter that he was afraid he would be, well ... gay ... because he didn´t get a girl. Three months later, I met him at a veterans' meeting with his fourth girlfriend since then. He told me when he had telling around he would have had other inclinations, the girls suddenly stormed his stall. Meanwhile, he is a dirtier womanizer like Disco Bear, only with the difference that the women actually like him. "

"Wait a minute ..." Cuddles said incredulously, "So you're saying if we bring Splendid to say he would be on the other side, he would get a girlfriend?"

"I don´t know why, but women lose any shyness in front of a fag.", mused Flippy.

Then Shifty spoke up: "Okay, put the case a woman would really fall in love with him as she thinks she couldn´t get him, how he will get her ultimately?"

"Then it's time for a tear-jerking story of the kind 'You've changed everything, blah blah blah', or some of that shit.", Flippy replied.

In the round of silence, everyone thought about Flippys proposal. Only Lumpys crunching disturbed the backdrop.

"... An attempt would be worth.", said Cuddles finally and the raccoons nodded in agreement.

"Now we just have to find a way to initiate the whole ...", muttered Lifty.

.

Flaky was sitting bored on the sofa. So she has surely not imagine a ´funny´ girls evening, with Giggles, Petunia and Lammy. They drank tea and chatted all the time only about horoscopes, clothing or other boring topics with which the little red tomboy couldn´t do anything. Much rather she would has talked about sports, or even from her about politics, only away from these issues, where she absolutely couldn´t has a say.

Purely by chance crossed her eyes, finally, the door to the room where the guys were playing poker and confident talking about interesting topics.  
_Maybe I __can __join __them_, thought Flaky a little hopeful.  
Normally the shy porcupine would not dare to disturb the other evening, but the view to possibly be saved from the boredom, drove her.

Reluctantly, she got up, unnoticed by the others and went to the closed door where she knocked loudly three times.

"Yes?", came muffled from the room and Flaky opened the door. The five guys looked at her questioningly.

"Um ...", Flaky took her shy posture with a bowed head and legs pressed together and gave her typical nervous laughter of the best.

"Ha ... Ha ... h-how is i-it ...", she finally asked, smiling shyly.

"Well ..." Flippy began.

"SPLENDID IS GAY.", Lumpy called out of nowhere.

"Huh?" Flaky was confused, while the boys threw glares at Lumpy.

_What is going on here?_, wondered Flaky as she was pushed aside at once from Giggles, and Petunia and Lammy, who also crowded into the room.

"What? Who's gay?", Giggles asked excitedly in her high-pitched voice.

Everyone looked at Lumpy, who only calmly munching chips and didn´t say anything.

Flippy growled subdued: "Splendid."

"Really?", Petunia asked.

"Yes.", Cuddles said, also a scowl towards Lumpy throwing.

Suddenly Giggles began downright to squeak:  
"I knew it!", and started along with Petunia and Lammy, giggling in a very girlish manner.

Only Flaky was totally confused about their excitement between the bundle of giggling girls and the boys, who first also looked surprised, but then himself grinning at each other.

To the guys at the table she asked puzzled, but still a little shy:

"W-Where ... you know that?"

The grin was suddenly replaced by a helpless look around the table.

"Um ...", Shifty began, "... uh ... it ... is ... obviously.", and tried to sit up a trusting smile, which ended, with his sheepish mood and his shaped by the diabolical grin face, in an ugly grimace.

Flaky let out a frightened "Huh?" and backed a little. The facial expression scared her.

The men´s had to chuckle at Shiftys failing attempt, until Flippy smiling confidently took over at once.  
"Splendid not admit it and ...-we were just talking about how we get him to do it."

That answered Flakys original question not, but before she could ask, suddenly Giggles came between them.

"Oh, how cute.", she squealed, "We should make an intervention, with posters and flowers and-"  
"Balloons.", added Petunia, not less enthusiastic.

The girls clapped with joy, except for Flaky of course, which was lost somewhere between enthusiastic women and whispered to each other guys.  
…Whispering guys? _What__'s going on here__?_, wondered Flaky. She could feel that something was wrong here.

.

The next day were gathered together the same Happy Tree Friends again, but only this time at Giggles home and without the raccoon twins. They had logged off because they thought that they would only interfere and Splendid would then suspect that would be only a nasty act.  
Giggles, Petunia and Lammy had the living room festively decorated, also Flaky had helped, and above all on the ceiling, a pink poster emblazoned on the stand: "I love my gay hero.", where the "love" was symbolized by a heart.

"Jeez, that woman go so crazy, I had never expected.", Flippy whispered to Cuddles and Lumpy, which slightly off consulted with each other.

"But it works.", replied Cuddles.  
"Once Splendid comes in and is reluctant at first, I pull him aside and explain to him under pretext of the situation. But I hope he plays with. "

"Don´t worry. If he doesn´t, he´s either homophobic or actually gay.", Flippy whispered with side views of the three girls who had specially even made pretty.

"Hohoho, that is a good prank.", chuckled Lumpy.

"This is not ..." Cuddles continued angrily, but broke off.  
"... No matter."

And thus the triple circle of conspirators broke again to go to their positions, which purported them Petunia.

Once everything was perfect, Giggles opened the door, took a deep breath and screamed in a high tone of her lungs.  
It caused a ringing in the ears of each other, and seconds later crashed Splendid already through the roof, as it was predictable.

Dust and debris lay down as the heroic squirrel looked around with a broad chest and realized that he was in the middle of a circle of smiling people.

"INTERVENTION.", Giggles, Petunia, Lammy and Lumpy shouted cheerfully, while Flaky, Flippy and Cuddles, just quietly stood up and gave their best to look friendly.

Splendid was visibly confused and frowned until his gaze fell on the poster on the ceiling and he was ashen.

"WHERE DID YOU KNOW THAT?"

Splendid quickly covered his mouth with his paws, scared of his own exclamation.

The girls laughed merrily, Flaky didn´t understand why and the boys ...

Well the boys tear open wide their eyes, had their jaw dropping and staring at the blue flying squirrel with red mask, stunned.


	2. The reaction

I´m sorry for you to waiting so long, but I wasn´t satisfied with this chapter and re-wrote it several times.

* * *

Splendid blushed, while he was still scared covered his mouth.

_Why did __I __say that?_ It simple slipped out him. He wasn´t even sure if he was really gay, or better: He was be able to successfully suppress any thinking about it. As a hero you had the image of a strong man preserve at any cost.

His unease was reinforced even as Giggles, Petunia and Lammy huddled giggling and smiling around him.

"Don´t worry, Splendy. You mustn´t longer adjust yourself.", Giggles said, patting his head, just as he had always done, to comfort and to donate courage.

_Splendy? What the… _He wanted to say something, but no words came out of his mouth out and he remained silent.

"It´s okay to be gay.", Lammy said, and gently stroked his back, as if to comfort him. However, only when he felt the touch, Splendid was really going to be sad.

He looked down and shook his head softly. All the years he had tried so hard to repress everything. It just couldn´t be true.  
"Please don´t say something like that.", he whispered, silently begging that they should forget everything but the girl understood it rather than a cry for help.

"We accept you as that you are.", said Petunia and wanted to hug him, but suddenly narrowed Splendids eyes. He tore his arms in the air and shouted:  
"WHO CARES ABOUT YOU?"

The girls were frightened, backed a little and Splendid realized a moment later, what he had actually done. Three beautiful girls had crowded around him, wanted something from him, and they were insignificant enough for him, to not respond to them and even to yell.

_God, I__'m really __gay._ Splendid flopped down on his butt, and covered his face with his paws in shame. His heroism was over.

Meanwhile Giggles ventured again careful, attracted by the suffering of the super squirrel.

"Shhh ... Everything is going to be okay.", whispered Giggles and knelt before him. Petunia and Lammy waited bequeath him with caring eyes. Obviously, they had learned to act more sensitive and less stormy.

Splendid didn´t push her away this time and let it even admits that she gently pushed his paws from his face.

"Don´t worry. We will always be there for you.", she said quietly and watched him faithfully in his sad eyes. After a moment of silence, she hugged him gently.  
Splendid returned the hug. He had been a long time really lonely and he could really use consolation. Nevertheless, it still drove him a question.

"How ... did you know that?", he asked softly, after he broke away from the hug.

"The guys have told us.", Petunia said casually, gesturing to Flippy, Cuddles and Lumpy, who had, with Flaky, gathered away from the main drag in a circle and intently whispering to each other.  
Splendid hadn´t noticed, although he could hear their whispers with his super-hearing, if he wanted.

"I-I dunno ..." he heard Flakys nervous voice, "...It´s a l-lie."

"Which lie?", Splendid called out, frowning. His justice reflex still worked. The four animals startled and looked up to Splendid, Flaky even trembling.

Giggles, Petunia and Lammy observed meanwhile silent what is happening.

Lumpy seemed suddenly to remember something, because he made "Ahaa" and pulled out his cell phone and walked out.  
Wouldn´t it be Lumpy, Splendid would have thought he would try by acting to escape, but he thought the moose wasn´t bright enough for something like that.

Flippy and Cuddles scratching themselves embarrassed by the neck and Flaky laughed in her typical nervous manner, while she lost a few extra dandruff flakes.

"Well ... um ..." stuttered Cuddles and Flippy gave him a meaningful look, as far as Splendid it could assess, even if he had no idea of what they had cooked up back there.

Finally, Cuddles nodded and the two boys ran quickly over to him, grabbed him and pulled him into the next room, away from the girls, who afterwards looked puzzled.

After they were out of earshot, Cuddles began to whisper:  
"Okay, listen. We wanted to get you a girl, but since you are... well, you, we had to come up with something like the girls come naturally to you. "

"Wait ... Don´t say me-" Splendid almost stopped breathing that emerged from the audacity and Flippy continued in a whisper:

"I came up with the idea to tell the girls you're from the other side. It even works better than expected. Well, at least until you have spoken. "

Splendid clenched his fists in anger. _What __they allow themselves __anyway?_

"Are you retarded?", he exclaimed, Flippy and Cuddles gesticulated to be quiet.

"Shh, damn it. The girls ... ", whispered Cuddles, even quieter.

"Oh you can be sure I'll tell it to them.", Splendid said angry, crossing his arms.

"Come on, buddy. We have to stick together.", distressed him Cuddles.

"Suck my ass."

"You'd like it, right?", said Flippy mockingly, out of nowhere.

Splendid shot a dagger-like view of the war vet and growled menacingly.

Before the situation got out of control, Cuddles intervened.  
"Okay, I really didn´t want to be so, but I have probably no choice ...", the yellow rabbit muttered nonchalantly.  
"Splendid. I know what you've done."

Splendid listened to and studied Cuddles expression that appeared very confident.

"What do you mean?" Splendid asked a little worried.

"You know what I mean. As you should rescued someone."

Splendids initial anger was replaced by fear.  
_That can´t __be true. __He can__ im__possibly know__. __It __simply not__._  
If that came out, what Splendid just thought, his hero reputation would be ruined justifiably.

"You can´t know it." Splendid whispered darkly.

Cuddles raised an eyebrow.  
"I do it though and you know that it's possible."

Splendid stared at Cuddles for a while into his eyes, searching for any signs of uncertainty, but Cuddles gave himself no nakedness.

_Damn it__._ "What do you want?", Splendid growled defeated.

"You tell the girls nothing. Don´t worry, someday we will tell them, but today you're the star for them, okay?"

"All right.", gritted Splendid. It was not really much, but to be in the first place blackmailed, was bad enough.

"But I swear before this day is over, I'll let you regret it.", Splendid whispered threatening, but neither Flippy nor Cuddles let themselves be intimidated.

"Okay, but now go back to them. They want certainly still talking.", Cuddles said with an evilly joyful expression.

Reluctantly, with a sinister face, he walked back into the festively decorated room, with the embarrassing poster on the ceiling and of course was immediately besieged by Giggles, Petunia and Lammy, while Flaky uncertain remained in the background.

.

Meanwhile, Cuddles and Flippy went to seek Lumpy.

"Tell me." Flippy said softly, "What did you Splendid actually threatened?"

Cuddles shrugged as she ran along the corridor.

"No idea. Have bluffing."

Flippy gave a surprised and respectful nod.  
"Wow. That was good."

"I know.", and so they stepped out the back door into the garden, where they found Lumpy who was loudly laughing on the cell phone.

"Hey Lumpy.", Cuddles arose attention, "Who are you talking there?"

Lumpy stopped laughing, looked at him a moment and then asked to his phone:  
"Um, who are you again?"

Cuddles and Flippy rolled their eyes and before Lumpy could answer, Cuddles tore the blue moose his cell phone from the paw.

"Hello?", he asked curiously into the phone.

"Ah, it's you.", heard the yellow rabbit Shiftys voice, "Is it true that Splendid really isn´t attracted in women?"

"Yes, unfortunately.", Cuddles replied with regrettable voice.

"Oh great. So that our plan has failed. "

"Well, actually there is one last hope.", Cuddles said carefully.

.

Splendid sat, feeling like hours on the couch, even if it probably was only a few minutes in reality. The women seemed to have developed a strong interest in him, and he just wanted to get away from here.

"No idea what type I like.", he replied annoyed.

"Do you like big, strong guys, or rather the frail?", Petunia asked further.

Splendid groaned. _Can´t__ they __leave me__ alone __with this subject__?_

Suddenly Cuddles, Flippy and Lumpy stormed in the room. All three looked shocked, as if something bad would happen.

Splendid listened to, but remained suspicious, although their facial expressions looked genuine. Even Lumpy looked as if he were in a panic.

"Splendid, you need to save Toothy immediately. When I phoned him he told me right away that he wanted to throw himself off the roof.", Cuddles exclaimed.

"The purple beaver? Why?", Splendid asked hastily.

"You know that he's crazy about you. He wants to be just saved from you."

Splendids eyes narrowed. The beaver had probably let him sign every one of his comic books and have also frequently watched him by rescue missions. He knew him and his obsession of course, but that was even for a fanboy like him, too much. Plus, he already had a bad mood.

"I'm going to tell him something.", Splendid muttered angrily and flew out of the roof opening.  
The gust of wind from the sudden acceleration hurled furniture and animals around the room. Items were broken, the poster ripped, but fortunately no one was injured.

Splendid flew with top speed in the rough direction of Toothys house. He didn´t know exactly where he lived. Through the hiss of the air, he suddenly heard a cry for help, which didn´t sound real by Splendids experience.

_That must be him_, he thought, and he discovered the purple beaver by his supervision, how he slipped deliberately on a tile on a roof.

He quickened again, stretched out his arms and just before he reached the beaver, he braked sharply in order not to tear him to pieces, which was unfortunately often happens.

With a "Ugh" Toothy plopped in Splendids arms and groaned in pain afterwards, how it occur when you fall of several meters on steel beams equals arms.

_Serves you __right_., Splendid thought when he saw Toothys pained face and floated down.

He put the beaver carefully on the ground, who rubbed side his ribs.

"Ouch", Toothy whined until he opened his eyes and saw the face of the hero.

He blushed slightly and smiled shyly.

"Th-thanks. You have-"  
"Save it!", Splendid interrupted angry the beaver.

"I know that you have just acting. What did you actually think you were doing?", Splendid said louder and angrier becoming.

Toothy winced, whimpered and suddenly burst into tears.  
"I'm s-sorry.", he howled, his knees buckled and he fell down, covered with his paws his weeping eyes.

"I just wanted... wanted ... I-I-I'm so s-sorry.", Toothy cried loudly and curled up on the ground.

Splendid had such a violent reaction didn´t expected, and although he had scolded him rightly, did him the boy, who cried on the cold floor curled up and bawling snot and water, somehow sorry.

"There, There. Calm down. It´s no reason to go so upset.", Splendid tried to calm him, but the convulsion of the beaver didn´t subsided.

Splendid sighed.  
_He __gets __still __a cold_., he thought, and lifted Toothy off the ground, like a baby.

He pushed open the door of the beaver, which was open to happiness, and carried him to the couch, where he passed him carefully. Soothingly gently on the back patting while Toothy calmed down slowly.

.

Meanwhile, two familiar shadows left with a cheeky grin on their faces creeping Toothys house. They snickered about their act, although they hadn´t stolen exceptionally something, but had leave something hidden.

.

In Giggles house, the girls were worried about Toothy, eventually they were Toothys friends, too.

Petunia wanted Toothy call with her cell phone, but Flaky stopped her.  
"N-no.", she stammered, "W-We can´t."

"Why?" Petunia asked blankly and Flaky wringing more nervous than usual her fingers.

She swallowed before she muttered:  
"I-It´s...the plan."


	3. The outcome

"I-I'm so sorry.", sobbed Toothy, as he wiped the tears from his cheeks. Splendid patted him comfortingly on the shoulder.

"Now calm down first.", he said and gave the purple beaver a tissue.

"Th-thanks.", Toothy stammered softly, blew the snot out of his nose.

"All good again?", Splendid asked with a penetrating look. Toothy nodded gently, but did not dare to look at him.

"Good. But now listen carefully.", Splendid said sternly and sought eye contact,  
"Do that never again. Got it? That's not funny."

Toothy nodded with tucked head, as if afraid of being beaten.

Splendid sighed and gave the beaver a last encouraging pat on the back. The day couldn´t actually get any worse.  
First, he outs himself by mistake, is being blackmailed, besieged by questions to which he does not want to give an answer and now he had also to care about a crazy fanboy, who behaves like a small child. And the worst thing was that the day was not even over.

Splendid remained seated, unsure what he should do now, but he would have preferred to just sit still.

_Cuddles, Giggles and Co definitely want something more from me._, he thought, as he discussed in thought if he could just fly home now and would not be bothered there for today.

"Um ... Splendid." A nudge jolted him from his thoughts.

"Do you want ... maybe something to drink?", Toothy asked timidly, trying to smile friendly.

Splendid consider about the intent behind the offer.  
_Crazy __Fan __or __conspirators and __pushy __girls?_

The decision wasn´t difficult for him.  
"Something Alcoholic would be good if you've got something there.", Splendid accepted the offer nonchalant.

Toothy blushed slightly, but Splendid did not know why.  
"Uh ... I think I have some wine, if it fits."

Splendid was a little surprised. He had the beaver always regarded as particularly childish and doesn´t really thought that he had anything of the kind. A beer at most.

He nodded and Toothy got up to bring the wine.

After a while he came back.  
"Sorry. I didn´t know anymore where he was.", he apologized for the relatively long wait.

"I hope it´s still good.", and handed the bottle.

"It´s okay. Wine doesn´t scruffy.", muttered Splendid and surveyed the wine.  
_Cheap goods __from the supermarket. __What __the heck._, he thought, and pulled the cork with his strength.

"Glass?", asked Splendid, when he realized that he couldn´t pour the wine anywhere.

"Oh, right.", Toothy uttered and stormed into the kitchen to fetch a simple glass.  
It was not a wine glass, but Splendid did not care. The main thing is anything helped him to get through the day.

He filled it full and emptied the glass off the reel. Instantly a warm feeling spread to his stomach and head.

_That feels good__._, he thought as he leaned back in the couch and waited until the alcohol has also acted in his mind.

"Rough day?", Toothy asked nervously standing next to him.

"The worst of my life.", Splendid replied with surprising honesty.  
_Is that__ the __alcohol already__?_

"What was so bad?", asked by Toothy.

"I don´t want to talk about it.", Splendid sighed in response.

There was an awkward silence between the two animals, while Toothy sat back down next to Splendid on the couch.

After a dismal while, Toothy called again carefully:  
"Can I ask you someting?"

"Go ahead.", Splendid said bored. This fan questions he knew only too well.

"H-How are you so?"

The question confused the Super Squirrel a little, and he frowned.  
"This question is asked at each Comiccon and you were always there."

Toothy began nervously with his fingers to knead.  
"I-I mean uh ... H-How are you so in your secret identity?"

Splendid sat up, startled, and looked deep into Toothys eyes.

"How do you know?", he asked urgently.

Toothy shrank somewhat, he seemed to be intimidated, but then he was going to be surprised.

The beaver looked with expressionless face on his hero.  
"Comic book number 28. You say to Robot, there would be a life besides chasing criminals."

Splendid stared at Toothy with wide eyes.

"I think it was on page 15.", Toothy said thoughtfully.

_That's __creepy__..._ thought Splendid. The Beaver knew far more than he should.

Toothy looked suddenly at the floor in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry. This must now act creepy to you, but-"  
"No, no, don´t worry, it's not, no. No.", Splendid lied hastily, before Toothy continuing. He did not want to bring him even more embarrassed. Toothy was obviously very sensitive and he was afraid he would start to cry again. After all, the lie let the young beaver shy smile.

"Well, see ...", Toothy avoided eye contact and rubbed his paws nervously. Splendid even thought he would start to sweat, which aroused his curiosity.

"I-I know that you're hiding something in you."

This troubled Splendid. _What __is __going on here?_ For years, he thought he would be regarded by all as the superhero, to be of the he tried, but apparently that did not even believe his biggest fan.

"Where ... What do you mean?", Splendid tried to remain calm.

"If you're a superhero, ... it´s not you, or not quite you"

_Is it really __that obvious?_, echoed through Splendids head while he looked on in silence the beaver with freckles, but his emotions not masked.

He made an almost sad expression and Toothy seemed to have guessed his thoughts:  
"I mean ... You never fun with someone, hiding in your mountain fortress, never doing something besides to rescue someone, you have a secret identity, and this red mask ..."

Toothy saw at him almost to begging. "What are you hiding behind them?"

Splendid swallowed, embarrassed by the worrying detailed analysis of Toothy.

_He seems to __know me __better than I __am__. __Although he __almost __nothing know about me_.  
An unpleasant shiver over Splendids back and his instincts told him to go away before more came out, but something kept him here.

"Why do you want actually know this? What if you don´t like, what come out?", Splendid asked suspiciously with a serious expression. He wanted to test him.

The purple beaver blushed.  
"I want to get to know you ...", Toothy looked deep into his black Pacmen eyes and moved closer.

"I always wanted to know, who is the hero who gives himself up for everyone else.", whispered Toothy, with a curious and erotic undertone, which Splendid was not unpleasant oddly.

"Grumpy.", Splendid said from the begging-demanding glance Toothys unsnapping.  
"In my secret identity ... I'm usually grumpy.", he answered with a sigh the original question, directed his gaze to the floor.

_Why do I __say this __to him __anyway?,_ wondered Splendid, as he looked at the ground, without actually seeing its.

This purple beaver seemed to truly interested in his person, his character, not like all the other fans. Not even Giggles, Petunia and Lammy were just now really interested in him, but only for one side of him. It was something new for him, maybe he abandon therefore his deepest thoughts.

From the corner of his eye, Splendid notice that Toothy leaned even closer to him.  
"Why,", he asked curiously, almost childishly naive.

"Dunno ...", Splendid turned away while in his head already echoing the true answer,  
"Guess I'd rather be the hero."

"And why are you doing this anyway?", sounded Toothys compassionate voice.

One last spark of resistance sparked into Splendid.  
"The question is rhetorical, right?", he replied, without turning around.

As a superhero he was worshiped, but he could not quite be there himself, so he has a second secret identity. It seemed obvious to him and for Toothy, too.  
"No one likes you in your alternate ego?"

Splendid answered the question with a silence.

Toothy sighed after a while.  
"It's about more than your homosexuality, isn´t it?" He said gently.

Splendid sighed in defeat. "Yeah."

_Wait a minute__.,_ clicked it suddenly in Splendid and he frowned.

He turned slowly back to Toothy.  
"How do you know that?", he asked suspiciously, crossing his arms.

Toothy leaned nervously back, away from Splendid, and looked around frantically, as if he could find the answer anywhere.  
"Uh ...-Cuddles told me.", he said quickly.

But Splendid shook his head.  
"Cuddles told me you had him immediately said on the phone, that you want jump off the roof...", his eyes narrowed.  
"What's going on here?"

Toothy backed on the sofa, trembling and tearing up, but Splendid didn´t decrease.  
"What is going on here?", he demanded sharply to know.

Toothy burst into tears and curled up on the sofa.  
"I-I´m s-s-orry.", he mumbled between sobs. "I-It wa-s C-Cuddles I-Ide-a."

Splendid jumped up, clenched his fists boiled with rage, so that the veins stood out and growled sinister:  
"So everything was just a trick."

He gritted his teeth and leaned toward Toothy, who slumped lay anxiously on the couch, until only to amounted a narrow space between their faces.

"Why?", he whispered slowly, threatening to the weeping Beaver,  
"And why have you even participated,", he charged down with disappointed and angry voice.

Toothy was shaking even more, did not dare to move or to look Splendid into the eyes. He lay just pathetic crying curled up on the sofa there, but Splendid was adamant; he wanted to know the answer now.

Suddenly, a jolt went through the purple beaver, his head snapped up and before Splendid could react, Toothy kissed him passionately. Splendids eyes widened in surprise as their lips touched, while Toothy seemed to enjoy these one short point of time with closed, teary eyes. Splendids anger had been wiped from one moment to the next, but then, also tore Toothy his eyes in horror and pushed himself away.

He was breathing abruptly and looked panicking around, horrified by his own foray.

"WHAT HAVE I DONE?", he cried out and ran past to the motionless blue flying squirrel with red mask, upward.

Splendid stared at the purple beaver after, how he fled into another room and covered his lips, which had just been touched by precisely this guy. He still could not believe what had just happened.

_Is this __really happening__?_, he thought to himself. Everything had happened so fast.


	4. The follow

The second last chapter. Enjoy and reviews are welcome, like ever.

* * *

Splendid sat back down on the couch, his eyes wide open staring into the void. It passed some time in which he thoughtless and unfeeling seat remained frozen, shocked and totally confused about what just happened.

Suddenly, something rang and startled Splendid. It took him a moment to realized, that it was just the phone. He looked toward the stairs, but Toothy made no move to come down.

_Should I __maybe __go to __get it?_, wondered Splendid, as the phone continued to ring.  
Finally, he picked up the phone and answered. "By Toothy."

"Oh, hey Splendid.", he heard Cuddles voice and suddenly came the rage of before back up, at the audacity of the plans of the yellow rabbits and his cronies.

"YOU!", Splendid shouted menacingly into the handset. "Why all this, you bastard?"

"Why? What happened?", Cuddles asked exaggerated innocent sounding what Splendid is irritated even more.

"Toothy told me everything. This whole event was again a plan from you. For what, all that? HUH? "

"Hm ...", Cuddles remained calmly and Splendid clenched his fists again, he almost crushed the phone in anger. "What happened after he told you this?"

Splendid's cheeks burned involuntarily. At that time Toothy had kissed him suddenly.  
"That's none of your bloody business and now answer.", he huffed irritably.

"Has he maybe… kissed you?"

"Wha ...", Splendid was stunned. Before he could say anything, the yellow bunny went on.

"So it's true?"  
Splendid couldn´t think so quickly an answer and for a 'No', it was too late. "Uh-"

"Haha, I have told you.", Splendid heard Cuddles muffled voice as he spoke with the others.

The blue squirrel covered with the free paw his face in shame.  
"Oh, God ...", Splendid muttered to himself. "Cuddles please ... Just tell me, why all this."

"Isn´t it obvious? He has a crush on you. Therefore, he has also taken part, because he didn´t dare to ask you directly. "

Splendid was still totally confused. The whole situation was almost impossible to understand for him.  
"Does that mean, that was just for him?", Splendid asked puzzled why of all questions he asked this question.

"No, there were more reasons, but essentially lead already.", he heard Cuddles serious voice. "But as I value it now, Toothy is straight pretty upset. You should take care of him, but be careful. As for you, he is really a sensitive soul as we let believe you. Bye. ", and he did hang up so on.

Splendid remained frozen for a few moments on the phone, which submitted its 'occupied' signal before he took the phone off.  
His feelings went roller coaster and mingled into the grotesque. He knew absolutely no longer what was right or wrong. Whether, he should be angry or calm. Whether, he should act for himself or for the beaver, too. Actually, what he should do.  
It was all so complicated and he wished all this would never have happened, but to turn back the time, he felt too weak at the moment. As if he was a normal mortal.

He flopped down on the couch, unsure what, or if anything, he should do something. However, as he sat there mindlessly, his super-hearing sharpened and he heard the dull sobs which Toothy produced from above. _Should I __really do this__?_, wondered Splendid.  
When he tried to come to a decision, an inward feeling pulled him upwards. He thought no more about it and did what kept his heart is right.  
Slowly, with no thoughts but with turbulent emotions he went up, until he stood before the door behind which he heard the soft crying.  
He breathed deeply again before he knocked.

"Toothy? Can I come in?", he asked in a stable, cautious voice.

The sobbing and sniffling stopped immediately. A moment later the door opened a little, no wider than a gap and Toothy looked with tear-swollen eyes to the blue flying squirrel.

"Y-you're not angry?", he asked hoarsely, as it would be difficult for him to speak.

Splendid shook his head. "No, I'm not. I think we should talk about all this, honest and sincere ... Alright?", he calmly said and without shame or other ulterior motives.

Toothy glanced down, then nodded gently and opened the door fully. While Splendid entered the, by drawn curtains, dimly lit bedroom, Toothy went back to his bed and sat down to enter. Splendid could feel his sadness and his shame really. He closed the door quietly and sat down next to Toothy, looked him in the eyes and gently put one of his paws on Toothy's paw, he had pinched coyly between his legs.

Quiet, sympathetic Splendid raised his voice.  
"Now please tell me the whole story and do not worry ... I mean it really only well with you."

Toothy sniffed again one more time, and a single tear escaped from his eye, he quickly wiped away again from his purple fur.  
"I´m-I´m really so sorry for what I've done.", his voice was hoarse, tearful and uncertain, "Cuddles know it for some time and when he called, he told me, I might have yet prospects."

Splendid nodded slowly, noted that Toothy around talking about the obvious. It had to be just like the beaver hard, like himself, with the present day.

"He told me what I should do and I did it without contradictions." His voice was still hoarse and higher than it would be just before the next outburst of tears. Splendid waited some time before Toothy had calmed down a bit.

"How long have you ... these feelings?", he asked finally, cautious.

Toothy was further hung his head. "I don´t know since when exactly. Already longer ago. I mean ...", Toothy began, but was struggling with himself and the words," I-I have always admired you. Everyone knows that.", his voice was hoarse again, higher, "But the longer it took, the more I found out about you ...", he trailed off as he was tearing up.

Splendid put his paw to the shoulder of the young, upsetly beaver and pulled him close, trying to get him in a comforting position and gently stroked his back. He felt strong compassion for the Beaver, who had suffered similar over the years as he was, but just in a different kind.  
The older he became, the more he was even clear that the masquerade which he sat as a hero, was more than protecting his secret identity or because it was just cool. Just like Toothy had said earlier.

"All these things that you have told me earlier about me ...", Splendid sat his final question, "Were there from you or from someone else?"

Toothy sniffed again before he answered.  
"All from me. I've talked to no one else about it. "

Splendid nodded. At least was his crush on him, meant genuine and honest.

They sat for a while yet so there, in the dim half-light of the bedroom, while the sun sank further and further and the gap of light, through the almost closed curtains at the window, the wall along emigrated. At some point, Toothy sat down again, and then they both sat there, not daring to see the other in the eye, and at the same time too cowardly to stand up.

In the quiet stillness, Toothy asked finally, those words, both were afraid equally:  
"What now?"

Splendid lowered his head and sighed heavily.  
"No idea ...", he looked around the darkening room to, "All this here ...", he made with his paw a feeble orbiting motion, "is too much for me. My emotions at the moment are too upset to be able to interpret them safely.", he explained his feelings.

Toothy nodded over the disappointing answer for him, even if it was still the best possible. After all, his dreams and feelings had not been shattered.  
Splendid let out a loud sigh in the room, exhausted and unsure about this situation. Involuntarily he had to think about this morning before all this happened.

"This morning I been a very normal superhero and now I'm gay and I sit next to a guy who has kissed me.", he muttered out loud and smiled full of gallows humor.

Also Toothy understood the irony behind it, and smiled sheepishly.  
"But normally you've never been ...", he pushed behind and let Splendid wider smile.

"Right ... No one has so much screwed up as I am."

The two giggled softly. Why was it funny, they did not know themselves. Maybe because it was the truth, but had never been accepted by each one of them.  
There was a soft sigh and a subsequent long, uncomfortable silence.

"Um… Splendid,", Toothy shyly asked into the silence.

"Hm?" Splendid noticed how nervous Toothy rubbed his arm as the following him would fall hard.

"Will you ... m-maybe ... s-still stay for dinner?", he stuttered very slow and uncertain.

Splendid saw him for a moment in his slightly hopeful and very nervous eyes.  
"Too early Toothy ...", he replied in a half whisper, "Much too early ..."

Toothy instantly blushed heavily. "N-No, I didn´t mean ... I-I just wanted to-uh ...", he said hastily, Splendid raised an eyebrow. The purple beaver swallowed.  
"Um ... I just thought that the day was very hard, for both of us, so ...", he scratched his neck sheepishly, "would be a nice decay of the evening for sure ...-nice."  
Splendid stared a little against the wall, trying to decide on the invitation to fell.

"And you mean surely no date?", he asked for security.

Toothy shook his head and said softly, from crying earlier somewhat hoarsely, "I ... I want to forget everything for today now. It´s already complicated enough. Now I want to just ... don´t be sad. "

Splendid nodded gently. Toothys intention sounded tempting, but he was not sure if that was really a good idea. Distraction would do at the moment certainly very good, but _now_, with _him_, in _this_ situation, was, nevertheless, very explosive.

_Whereby__, it can´t __get any worse __anyway_, he thought, and finally asked:  
"What's for dinner?"  
"Spaghetti." Toothy replied cheered.  
"Bolognese, Carbonara, ...", asked Splendid what kind, but Toothy looked, as he had no idea, what was mean.  
"Um…with tomato sauce and minced meat."  
"That's Bolognese."  
"Ah ... Get it."

The two then went to the kitchen, where they unceremoniously cooked the noodles and prepared the sauce. Splendid showed Toothy during that when cooking the noodles into am a little salt and how to further refined the sauce with spices.

"You like to cook, right?" Stated Toothy, as he set the table.

"Well, I like good, cultivated food.", commented Splendid and poured on the noodles.

They loaded up their plates full and sat down to dinner. As Toothy wanted to put the previously opened wine, he hesitated.  
"That reminds me of something.", he said mumbling and pulled out his phone from which a short time later came evocative Italian music.

Splendid laughed and Toothy grin.

"Pasta, wine and music, as in Italy.", the purple beaver said, smiling.

Splendid poured the wine. "Yes ...", he muttered.

_One minute he confesses his feelings and now I eat Italian with him._ Splendid envisioned frowning the environment in the dim light, the pasta, the wine glasses, which Toothy had unpacked it and the _romantic_ Italian music.  
"Um Toothy... Turn that out please. It feels already weird enough."

The beaver with freckles seemed to be meantime also noticed.  
"Yes, I think you're right.", and grabbed his phone away.

There was an awkward silence in which both did not know about what they could be talking and instead only the food and especially the wine dedicated until Toothy broke the silence.  
"Why do you come mostly when Giggles screams? I do only so noticed.", he asked shyly, yet curiously.

Splendid thought for a moment before he answered. That was never really noticed him before.  
"Well, I think that´s due to their high-pitched voice. I can hear them very well. The only one that´s even louder, is Flaky, but with her it´s in 90% of cases of false alarm."

Toothy laughed. "Yes, I think so. When we went to the zoo once, she had cried as a chick came closer to her. "  
Splendid snorted a laugh. "Really?"

"Yes, Lumpy had tried to carry her away, but instead he threw her in the middle of the chicks inside. Then hung a lot of dead chicks on their spines.", Toothy laughed loudly and Splendid already got a sore throat from laughing. "What a fool.", he commented between laughs.

Amidst the fun theme of the quirks of their friends came off gradually the mood between the blue squirrel and the purple beaver, also thanks to the alcohol, by which they could tipsy laugh at jokes worse soon and lowered their inhibitions. They had a nice evening, until they could think of nothing more and again spread a silence.

"Hey uh ...", said Toothy fumbled again before, "May I ask you a personal question?"

"Go ahead ...", Splendid said in a cheerful mood.

"H-How do you know that you're ... well ... gay?", he asked softly, almost in a whisper.

Splendids mood fell. "If we weren´t quiet about it today?"

Toothy pressed his lips together and blushed a little. "I'm sorry, I, I'm just curious. I never thought that you were it and now ...", he left the sentence unfinished, but Splendid knew what he was getting at.

_Well, what the heck_., he thought to himself as he began to speak.  
"I think I've known it for a long time. Since at least the wet drea- ... Never mind.", he blushed at his slip into too personal, "Anyway, it was difficult to admit it. I was about ... *sigh* and now it has slipped away from me.", he twisted which corner of his mouth and stared at the empty wine glass, disappointed that there was not more. To divert attention from himself, he asked: "How was it with you?"

Instantly Toothy blushed heavily, looked around frantically, and kneaded with the fingers.  
"Um ... I-I can´t say.", he stammered.

Splendid frowned. "Why not?"

"I-It ... *gulp* too embarrassing."

Splendid huffed playfully. "So in all of this what do you know about me, it's only fair if I know anything about you.", he said determining.

Toothys head blushed even more and he began to tremble.  
"Hey, I'll have no betrayed. You can trust me.", Splendid said reassuringly as he saw Toothy fought with himself.

"I-I can´t.", he stuttered, "I-It's em-embarrassing for s-someone else."  
"And you promised him, it doesn´t continue to say?", asked Splendid,  
but Toothy shook his head and muttered, "He doesn´t even know himself."

"Okay ...", Splendid gave Toothy a sidelong glance, "Now I'm even more curious. Really, what can that be?"

Toothy looked one last time back and forth before he finally gave up.  
"Okay, I'll tell you.", he muttered pressed before he began to tell.

"So ... Everything started when me and Cuddles tasted alcohol. We have very too much drunk, -he even more like me, so he doesn´t remember it until today and it must remain so.", warned Toothy Splendid, who nodded.  
"Anyway, at some point we are totally drunk ended up with me and there ...",  
Toothy fought again about whether he should really tell and interrupted briefly.  
"Really, no one knows about it except me. Say it please no one else."

"Of course, Toothy. I will really tell nobody. I swear it.", Splendid gestured him to continue.  
Toothy swallowed again before he continued.

"Well, C-Cuddles told me suddenly that he didn´t dare to say that he loves Giggles, -which has later worked out, now they're a couple, hehe- but I _idiot_ came up with the idea of a role-play to making practice.", Toothy shook his head in shame, "We both totally drunk, played like he wanted to confess his love and then ... ", His´ head almost exploded from blushing, "H-he k-kissed me ... ", he stammered whispering.

Splendid raised his eyebrows. "That's all? You were drunk, it can happen. Plus, ... You know your passion through a kiss. That's rather cute. Anyway, better than my story.", Splendid said sympathetically smiling, but Toothy still remained shaky.

"No. -I mean, yeah, as well, but, i-it was actually ...", Toothy stammered on, always more nervous, "S-Suddenly, that's ... that ... was touching a-and th-then ..."  
Toothy swallowed hard while Splendids eyes widened and his jaw dropped in disbelief.  
"W-we h-had sex ..."

...

Meanwhile in Giggles house.

Cuddles, Flippy, Lumpy, Shifty, Lifty, Giggles, Petunia, Flaky and Lammy had gathered around a radio-like receptor, had brought to Shifty and Lifty and they had listened to the whole evening. But at the moment, everybody stared on the yellow bunny with pink rabbit slippers, who blushing hard from shame and wished he never born. Everyone else had his eyes widened and stared with shocked expression to the poor yellow bunny, who thought: _There are nevertheless still worse. Much worse._

Shifty and Lifty smirked widely from malicious joy shut their mouths with their paws, because they would then laugh loudly. They had a hard time to control themselves and yet came out sporadic snickers.

"Wow ...", Splendids muffled voice came from the receiver, "H-How ... did this happen?"  
"I dunno ... I-I was drunk a-and ... y-you know ... You've asked for it.", Toothy muttered stammering. It was difficult to understand by the mic, but still audible.

"He has apparently liked it.", Flippy commented on the statement of the beaver, but each pointed him vigorously, to be silent, except for Cuddles, who could not believe it.

"A-And Cuddles?", asked by Splendid. The yellow rabbit faltered again the breath.  
"How should I know, what had happened in his drunken head. He cried constantly only 'Giggles', but whether he was fascinated or hallucinating ... no idea.", They heard Toothys still embarrassed voice.

"Well actually I meant if you really never told him it."  
"No ... How would that sound. 'Hey Cuddles. By the way, you have lost your virginity by me. No offense.´..."

Now, Shifty, Lifty and Lumpy suddenly laughed roaring from glee so loud, that no one can heard Toothy´s words: "…I can´t do that to him." All the other had to giggle involuntarily.

"This is the best day of my life.", Shifty cried out and rolled off on the floor laughing.  
"I can´t longer.", said Lifty tormented to say that you can barely understand him, his belly holding an expression of laughter and pain sitting up.

Cuddles the other hand, covered his face and curled up. His head was no longer yellow, but red as Flakys fur, who even had a little giggle, although she would have taken Cuddles prefer comforting in the arm if the last comment would not have been so damn funny.

"Flippy? ...", Cuddles whispered piteously to war veterans, who leaned over to Cuddles. "Please kill me.", he begged. Flippys involuntary grin died instantly.  
"Cuddles ...", he tried to decide what he should say, "It wouldn´t change anything."

Giggles put a paw on his shoulder, and said by the loud laughter through: "Cuddles ... Do you want to talk about it?"  
The yellow bunny looked at her with a very sad expression, before he turned away again and shouted:  
"WHY DON`T YOU KILL ME?!"


End file.
